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Category Archives: Snacks

Go Ga Ga for Gogola!

I knew as soon as I saw this recipe that I would be trying it shortly. I saw this recipe at the New York Times Cooking website and immediately thought it would be a good idea. The recipe is for gogola, which are banana beignets that are traditionally served as par of the Hindu holiday of Phagwah. They are basically a lot like fried donut holes except the make use of some great ingredients and, of course, bananas, which are one of my favorite things to have in desserts. This recipe is very easy to put together with just a few ingredients, so if you have some very ripe bananas on hand this can be a perfect use for them.

Gogola (Banana Beignets)

5 very ripe bananas (brown, not black)

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

teaspoon almond extract

¾ cup sugar

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 ½ teaspoons baking powder

1 large pinch freshly grated nutmeg

1 large pinch ground cinnamon

¼ cup (or more) evaporated milk

Vegetable oil for frying

Powdered sugar (optional)

Using a potato masher or large fork, mash the bananas in a large bowl. Add the vanilla extract and almond extract and the sugar, and mix the ingredients well.

In another bowl, mix the all-purpose flour, baking powder, nutmeg and cinnamon. Combine the flour and banana mixtures and pour in the evaporated milk. Mix until the mixture is smooth and thick, like waffle batter, adding a little more evaporated milk if needed. Set the batter aside to rest for at least 10 minutes or up to 1 hour.

Heat 2 to 3 inches of vegetable oil in a heavy pot set over medium heat to 350 degrees. Drop the batter by heaping teaspoonfuls into the oil and fry until the beignets are golden brown on both sides, turning once when the edges are firm, about 3 minutes. Drain the beignets on paper towels. Cook just a few at first and taste one to make sure that there is enough sugar included and that the insides are cooked through. If the inside is runny, reduce the heat so the gogolas cook more slowly. Cook the remaining batter in batches.

Serve the gogola immediately, or keep them warm in a 200-degree oven for up to 2 hours. Sprinkle the gogola with powdered sugar just before serving, if desired.

These were an incredibly tasty treat that made a perfect dessert. They were just a bit sweet with great banana flavor throughout and they were just the right bite size where you could have a few (or ten) and really enjoy them. This is a good alternative to making a donut recipe as it may not take as much effort and they were great for dessert or as a nice breakfast treat with a cup of coffee in the morning. This would probably be good with other fruits besides bananas as well if you wanted to try something different.

That’s all I have for today. Check back next time for another recipe. Until then enjoy the rest of your day and enjoy your meal!

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Posted by on November 20, 2014 in Breakfast, Brunch, Cooking, Dessert, Snacks

 

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Best Thanksgiving Appetizer Recipes : Cooking Channel

Best Thanksgiving Appetizer Recipes : Cooking Channel.

When planning your Thanksgiving dinner, you don’t want to forget about having some great appetizers to keep everyone ready for the big meal. Cooking Channel has put together 60 Thanksgiving appetizer recipes that you can try to keep the crowd happy. Check it out!

 
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Posted by on November 8, 2014 in Appetizers, Cooking, Cooking Websites, Holidays, Snacks

 

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Tasty, Tantalizing and Terrific – Homemade Tater Tots with Spicy Mayonnaise

Sean has been asking me for months now to try my hand at making some homemade tater tots. Tater tots are pretty much a religious experience around my home and Michelle and Sean absolutely love them. When we have burgers, it’s always with tater tots. I have looked at recipes for homemade tots before and they always seemed very involved and difficult and didn’t look like they would really turn out all that great so I stayed away from them. A few days ago I saw this recipe from Bon Appetit and read through it and could not believe how easy it would be, so I knew this was going to be the time I would try it out.

Homemade Tater Tots with Spicy Mayonnaise

For the Spicy Mayonnaise:

1 cup mayonnaise

1 teaspoon adobo sauce from canned chipotles in adobo

1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce

¼ teaspoon smoked Spanish paprika (optional)

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the Tater Tots:

3 medium russet potatoes (about 2 pounds), scrubbed

2 scallions, chopped

½ cup seasoned Italian breadcrumbs

¼ cup heavy cream

1 tablespoon sour cream or plain yogurt

1 tablespoon butter, room temperature

½ teaspoon granulated garlic

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more

2 tablespoons grated Parmesan, plus more

2 large eggs, beaten to blend

Vegetable oil, for frying

For the spicy mayonnaise, combine the mayonnaise, adobo sauce, hot pepper sauce, and paprika, if using, in a small bowl; season the mayonnaise with salt and pepper to taste.

 

For the tater tots, preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Prick the potatoes all over with a fork and bake them directly on an oven rack until the potatoes are very soft when they are squeezed, about 60 to 75 minutes. Let the potatoes cool slightly so they are easy to handle.

 

Cut the potatoes in half and scoop the flesh into a medium bowl; discard the potato skins. Mash the potatoes, then mix in the scallions, breadcrumbs, cream, sour cream, butter, granulated garlic, pepper, 2 teaspoons of salt, and 2 tablespoons of Parmesan cheese. Mix in the eggs until they are just  combined. Roll 1-tablespoon portions of the potato mixture into balls.

 

Pour the vegetable oil into a medium skillet to a depth of ½-inch and heat the oil over medium heat until bubbles form immediately when a little potato mixture is added. Working in batches, fry the tater tots until they are a deep golden brown, about 3 minutes per side. Drain the tater tots on paper towels. Season the tater tots with salt to taste and serve them with the spicy mayonnaise.
I did do one thing that is not included in the recipe that does seem to make a difference, at least to me. After I rolled the tater tots (and I used a cookie scoop to roll them, the medium-sized one) I put them on a plate and put them in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. This seemed to firm the potatoes up nicely so they really held their shape well and went into the oil easily and did not fall apart along the way. I have to say while they are not exactly like the frozen tater tots you buy in the store, they are much creamier and have better texture. It kind of tastes like a deep-fried mashed potato, which for us was fantastic. They were really easy to make and came out perfectly for me and I think it made about 30 to 40 tater tots, which was plenty for us. It takes a little longer than opening up the bag out of the freezer but in my mind it is worth the effort to make them.
That’s all I have for today. Check back next time for another recipe. Until then, enjoy the rest of your day and enjoy your meal!
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Posted by on October 29, 2014 in Cooking, Potatoes, Sauce, Snacks, Uncategorized

 

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Homemade Candy Recipes – Photo Gallery | SAVEUR

Homemade Candy Recipes – Photo Gallery | SAVEUR.

With the holiday time of year upon us, making homemade candy can be perfect for you to have for your own holiday parties or to give out as gifts to friends, family, neighbors, co-workers or anyone that you might like to say thank you to. Saveur Magazine has put together 40 homemade candy recipes for you to try out so you can make some delicious treats of your own. Check it out!

 
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Posted by on October 25, 2014 in Candy, Cooking, Cooking Websites, Dessert, Holidays, Snacks

 

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Fun and Frightful Halloween Recipes : Cooking Channel

Fun and Frightful Halloween Recipes : Cooking Channel.

Halloween is just around the corner and if you want to make some tasty treats that are fun and Halloween themed, Cooking Channel has put together 31 fun and frightful recipes perfect for Halloween fun.Check it out!

 

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Best Chicken Wing Recipes : Buffalo, Honey & More : Cooking Channel

Best Chicken Wing Recipes : Buffalo, Honey & More : Cooking Channel.

It’s Sunday and you know what that means! Fall and Football season means tailgates and get-togethers at home or out at the stadium or a friend’s home to watch the games, so you naturally need some great snacks to go along with the game. I love chicken wings and they are perfect for any party, especially when watching the game. Cooking Channel has put together 21 great chicken wing recipes for you so you can choose from all types and flavors and sauces to suit your wants and needs. Check it out!

 

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Try Guacamole the Alton Brown Way!

I have been using the same basic recipe for guacamole that I make for years. Everyone seems to like it and I haven’t really deviated from that since I went with the old adage if it isn’t broken don’t fix it. National Guacamole Day was just recently (yes, there really is such a thing, and it seems pretty much everything and everyone has a day now, but that’s a topic for another time) I saw some other recipes for guacamole come up and I hit upon this one from Alton Brown, who is always one of my favorites and hasn’t steered me wrong yet with a recipe. His recipe for guacamole is very simple, as most of them are, but does seem to give you extra layers of flavor as well.

Alton Brown’s Guacamole

3 Haas avocados, halved, seeded and peeled

1 lime, juiced

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/2 onion, diced

1/2 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced

2 Roma tomatoes, seeded and diced

1 tablespoon chopped cilantro

1 clove garlic, minced

In a large bowl place the scooped avocado pulp and the lime juice and toss the avocado pieces to coat them well. Drain the bowl, reserving the lime juice, after all of the avocado pieces have been coated. Using a potato masher, add the salt, ground cumin and cayenne pepper and mash the avocados. Fold in the onions, jalapeno pepper, Roma tomatoes, chopped cilantro and the minced garlic to gently blend the ingredients together. Add 1 tablespoon of the reserved lime juice. Let the guacamole sit at room temperature for 1 hour and then serve.

A couple of things I noticed about this recipe. One, you get great flavors of everything and can get the freshness of the avocado, the lime, the cilantro and the onions and tomatoes with every bite. Two, using a potato masher does make a big difference as it allows you to get chunky guacamole so you get pieces of avocado with each bite instead of the results you get from a food processor or blender where you just get green liquid. I had always used a potato masher in the past when I made it anyway, so this made good sense to me. Coating he avocados with the lime juice before you mash them makes a difference in the flavor and seems to help with preventing the guacamole from turning brown quickly, just as adding the lime juice back in at the end does as well. Also, I had always refrigerated my guacamole right after I made it, but Alton Brown suggests that the cold refrigerator mutes the flavors of the guacamole, while when left at room temperature all you will need to do is give it a gentle mix and maybe add some salt and lime juice to adjust the seasoning. It is important to remember that even though you added lime juice, oxidation is still going to occur if you leave the guacamole uncovered while its resting. Make sure you cover it with plastic wrap, pressing it right down onto the top of the guacamole, and this will help it from turning brown. it’s a great and versatile dip that goes well with chips, crackers, tacos, quesadillas, hamburgers and countless other meals.

That’s all I have for today. Check back next time for another recipe. Until then, enjoy the rest of your day and enjoy your meal!

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Posted by on September 24, 2014 in Appetizers, Cooking, Picnic Fare, Produce, Snacks, Vegetarian

 

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A Tiny, Tasty Treat – Baked Gingerbread Mini Donuts

I have had a mini donut pan for a while now and usually when I break it out it is to simply make some plain donuts with a simple glaze on them. I haven’t made any in a while and with the fall weather starting to come around, I was thinking of something warming and spicy this past week when I happened to stumble upon this recipe from a Pinch of Yum for naked gingerbread mini donuts. The donuts themselves are a simple gingerbread dough and there is a wonderful maple glaze to put on them to really top things off. This make a great dessert or snack and do not take long to make at all, taking only about 20 minutes to put everything together, bake them and glaze them.

Baked Gingerbread Mini Donuts

For the Donuts:

1 cup all-purpose flour

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

Pinch of allspice

Pinch of ground cloves

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 egg

1/4 cup applesauce

1 tablespoon milk

2 tablespoons melted butter

For the Glaze:

2 tablespoons butter

1/4 cup brown sugar

2 tablespoons maple syrup

2 tablespoons milk

1/2 cup powdered sugar

For the donuts, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, allspice, cloves, salt and brown sugar until they are blended. Stir in the egg, applesauce, milk and melted butter until they are well incorporated and the batter forms. Pour the batter into a gallon-sized plastic bag and cut the corner off. Alternatively, you can use a piping bag if you have one on hand. Pipe the batter into a greased mini donut pan, filling each donut space to about half full. You may have to make 2 batches depending on the size of your donut pan as this will make 18 to 24 mini donuts. Bake the donuts in the oven until they are firm, about 8 to 10 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and carefully take each donut out of the pan.

For the glaze, melt the 2 tablespoons of butter with the 1/4 cup of brown sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring he mixture to a boil and boil it for about 2 minutes. Add the maple syrup and 1 tablespoon of the milk and bring the mixture back to a boil. Add the powdered sugar and use the last tablespoon of milk to help thin out the glaze if needed. Keep the glaze over low heat (higher heat will make the glaze start to crystallize) and dunk each mini donut into the frosting to coat it. The frosting will set almost immediately. Serve the donuts when complete.

This is a very simple way to make a really tasty treat. The donuts had that great ginger flavor and the maple glaze on the top went perfectly with the donuts. I got about 18 donuts out of my mix, but I think you can make them smaller and get a little more if you like. The mini donut pans are fairly easy to find today in many shops, and if you are looking for one you can find one here. They are pretty inexpensive so you can pick one up often for ten dollars or less if you want one. I’ll have to remember this recipe since it’s so easy to do and it is a good one to do with the kids. I apologize for the sloppy picture, but trust me they turn out better than my picture may look!

That’s all I have for today. Check back next time for another recipe. Until then, enjoy the rest of your day and enjoy your meal!

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Posted by on September 15, 2014 in Cooking, Dessert, Snacks

 

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14 Pizzas That Are the Definition of Perfection – Bon Appétit

14 Pizzas That Are the Definition of Perfection – Bon Appétit.

Friday night is pizza night in many homes, but instead of ordering out, why not try making some pizza at home tonight. You can make your own dough or buy store-bought pizza dough and let your imagination run wild with what you want on your pie or you can take a look at these 14 pizza recipe suggestions from Bon Appetit to get some great ideas for dinner tonight. Add a salad and you are all set for a great Friday night meal. Check it out!

 
 

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50 After-School Snacks

50 After-School Snacks.

One thing that all kids seem to have in common, no matter what the age, is that they want to have some kind of snack as soon as they get home from school. They need something to tide them over before dinner and you want to try and give the best options possible when you can. Food Network has put together 50 after-school snack recipes for you that cover all kinds of options so you have something great to offer the kids when they get home. Check it out!

 
 

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